Legit Allurance
by Lou Buggins
Summary: A dump-pile for all of my Allurance-themed one-shots and drabbles. Enjoy!
1. Sleeping on Your Shoulder

_**Sleeping on Your Shoulder**_

Garrison briefings were terribly dull when the planet or universe was not in immediate danger of being destroyed or invaded. Being raised in the traditions of Altean royalty meant being very familiar with protocol and politics, but humans seemed to have a talent for conducting lengthy meetings based on little to no new information.

"This could have been an email." Allura heard Pidge grumble under her breath. The smallest Paladin sat to the princess's left, her arms folded over her chest and body slumped in her chair. Allura could tell her fellow teammate was just as annoyed with this silly meeting as she was, although she had no idea what an email was.

The briefing room was crowded with other Garrison officers, aliens, and nicely dressed humans that she had just recently discovered were leaders of their respective groups. She recalled Lance explaining the concept of countries to her when she was first introduced to the variety of diplomats. Altea had similar divisions, but all were led by her father, the King of Altea. On Earth, there did not seem to be a clear leader that all humans looked to for guidance. Loyalties were scattered and everyone in the room seemed to have their own personal agenda. It made the princess uneasy and it was probably that feeling of distrust that kept her awake through this dreadful rundown.

Years of sitting through meetings had trained her body to keep a proper, respectful posture, even after sitting in the same spot for at least a varga. She could not, however, shed the bored look on her face or stop her obsessive drumming on his fingers against the arms of the chair.

"- and so with the recent updates made to the Garrison's communications systems we can -" It only took a moment of tuning in to the officer's report before his words faded back into the background. Sure this information pertains to her to some degree, it was not necessary to listen to all the added updates that she had no use for.

Her emerald eyes fell to her fidgety finger as she allowed her mind to wonder for a bit more. Her first thoughts were of her current project. After General Holt had shown her the Altean inside the monstrous machine used in an attempt to kill her and her fellow Paladins, she had dedicated much of her time to aiding the humans in discovering how exactly the robot was able to harvest an Altean's life force and use it as a power source. However, she could only think about the project for so long, before slipping down a trail of darkness and mourning. So she pushed those thoughts into the back of her mind and forced herself to think of something less intense. Of course, it didn't take long for her thoughts to travel to her second most thought of topic. Her mint-colored eyes drifted to her other teammate sitting beside her, this time to her right.

She took a few ticks to take him in. He was wearing his Garrison uniform, similar to her's. Before they all wore the same orange and white suits, but as part of the Garrison's appreciation for the Paladins' involvement in the mission to liberate Earth and save it from annihilation, they were each given their own unique uniform. It was basically the same as what they had before, only this time they each wore their own colors that matched their Paladin armor. Where there once was orange, she now sported a pastel pink. The boy beside her had on his signature royal blue that made his baby blue eyes pop. Though she noticed she couldn't see his familiar azure pupils since they were covered by his drooping eyelids. That's when she realized his head was hanging forward at an uncomfortable looking angle and that his breathing was slow and rhythmic.

"Is he out of cranker? Sleeping during a meeting!" She hissed in her head as she narrowed her eyes in disapproval. She couldn't blame her fellow Paladin for dozing off during this dreadfully boring meeting, but it was still extremely unprofessional of him. A Paladin of Voltron is held to higher standards than most and must be an example for those they are around. Not passed out and drooling during a briefing!

She gave a nervous glance around the room to see if anyone else had noticed Lance's unconscious state. To her relief, everyone's attention was either on the speaker or anywhere but on them. Twisting in her seat, she prepared herself to nudge her friend awake, but she had made the fatal mistake of looking at him. Now that she was turned in her chair, she had a much better view of his face.

It was still aimed downwards, his messy brown hair hanging loosely over his forehead. His eyes were closed lightly and his lips were slightly ajar. As she predicted, a single string of saliva leaked down the corner of his mouth. She used to be so disgusted by how much humans salivated while resting, it was strange and at first, she thought it was a sign of illness. She soon learned during the past few years of living with the Earthlings that this was just a simple sign of deep sleep.

"How is he able to do that?" She wondered to herself as her face became thoughtful and she studied the boy's face some more. It amazed her how he was able to sleep like this. No matter how uninteresting the information may be, she was still in a room filled with people, all of which she knew would catch her the moment she began to nod off. Not only that, but the way his neck was bent at an awkward angle made her flinch. There was no way he was comfortable in that position. For her to have any hopes of sleeping, she had to be lying down with her head properly supported by at least three fluffy pillows. Yet her Lance was, soundlessly snoozing in his chair during the middle of an intelligence briefing.

Again, she repeated to herself, how was he doing that? "Certainly," she thought confidently, "he would not be able to keep it up for much longer."

She gave him a pointed stare as she waited anxiously for his body to inevitably lean too far forward, which in turn would naturally jolt him out of his slumber. Only she did not expect for him to open his eyes for just a split second, before falling in her direction. Unprepared for this action, her whole body tensed the moment his head touched her shoulder. His head felt heavy resting on the edge of her shoulder, the spot warming instantly upon contact. A few strands of his soft, brown hair tickled her exposed neckline. The minty fragrance of his cologne drifted to her nose, making her heart pound against her chest. She squeezed the black leather arms of her chair and her ocean eyes darted around the room frantically. Her first reaction was to shove the boy off her, but she forced herself to remain still. No one was watching them yet, and pushing him would only result in attracting unwanted attention.

Finally, she looked over to Pidge, being careful to only turn her head. She gave a silent plea to the green Paladin and as if she had read her mind, the younger female looked up to meet her gaze. Allura gently gave a small side-nod and her eyes flickered between Pidge and the boy napping just inches from her face. The brunette's eyes widened behind her glasses and she covered her mouth to hide the laughter that bubbled up inside of her. Allura's eye narrowed in annoyances at her teammate's reaction.

"What do I do?" She mouthed, hoping the smartest Paladin would at least be able to offer a helpful suggestion, but all the other girl did was shrug her shoulders and mouth back, "Don't wake him."

Allura's left hand balled in a fist as she clenched her teeth and scowled at the other Paladin's lame attempt at a joke. Clearly, Pidge would be of no help to her. Turning back to the subject of her agitation, her features softened a bit. Different than before, he now looked extremely comfortable. Apparently, her shoulder made a decent pillow. His face was even more relaxed than it had been originally and the added weight seemed to bother her less the longer he stayed. His breath was pointed downward so she couldn't feel it under her uniform, but the soothing sound calmed her racing heart. If she were being honest with herself, this situation would not bother her as much if they were in a more appropriate place. The more she thought about him, the closer his tantalizing lips felt to her own.

She wondered if he tasted sweet like the sugary treats she had tried while being on Earth, or if he tasted more like the salty ocean that he spoke so often about. Upon realizing where her thoughts were leading, a dark crimson blush stained her cheeks. She cursed herself for letting her feelings get the better of judgment. It had to have been several doboshes that had past, and yet, her shoulder was still occupied by the silly Cuban boy who had somehow weaseled his way into her heart. The corner of her lips twitched up and she found her head slowly lowering to the side, resting gently on top of his chocolate mop of hair. Within a few ticks, she felt her eyes flutter shut and she took in a slow drag of his natural, boyish scent. Between the relaxing aroma and the peaceful rhythm of his quiet snores, she too felt herself drifting off into another world.

* * *

"Should we, um, wake them up?" Hunk asked as he rubbed the back of his neck in a nervous habit.

"We should leave and lock them in for the night. Teach them a lesson for sleeping during an important meeting." Keith grumbled with his arms crossed over his chest and a scowl on his face.

"We're not locking them in." Shiro reasoned, though he too wore a disapproving frown.

"Yeah, 'cause they'd probably like a room all to themselves for the night," Pidge said with a smirk as she placed a hand on her cocked hip.

Her male teammates all gave her a mortified look at just the idea that she had now planted in each of their minds. She simply shrugged them off, before reaching for her backpack that was still hanging on the back of her chair. It was about a third of the way into the meeting that everyone noticed the two unprofessional warriors cozying up to each other. Turns out, Allura was a loud snorer.

Once everyone discovered two of the five Paladins of Voltron were out for the count, General Holt decided it was a good time to end the briefing. Many were appalled by the blatant rudeness of the sharpshooter and the princess, forcing the other Paladins to apologize on their behalf. It was a very embarrassing situation, to say the least, but not as bad as the punishment that would be coming to the sleeping beauties.

"Give them an extra hour of training every day for a week," Shiro suggested as he turned to Keith. The Black Paladin nodded his head in approval.

"And maybe I should talk to the kitchen staff. Make these two wash dishes for a few hours too."

"Ah, come on guys," Hunk stepped forward and gestured to the slumber duo still in their chairs. "Look how adorable they are. Do you really want to punish these two blossoming lovers?"

Shiro's frown deepened and Keith's face twisted with disgust. With a raised hand, the ladder stressed for Hunk to never call Lance and Allura _lovers_ ever again.

"Okay, okay," the yellow Paladin threw up his hands in defeat, "but maybe we should go easy on them, I mean, that was the most boring meeting in the history of meetings. Frankly, I'm surprised _I_ wasn't the one to pass out." He ended with a half-hearted chuckle.

Shiro and Keith exchanged a brief look, then finally Keith let out a sigh and nodded his head. "Okay, fine, no kitchen duty, but they are going to put in a few extra hours of training _and_ apologize to everyone who was at the meeting."

Everyone either nodded or voiced their approval after their leader laid out the punishment. Keith then stepped closer behind the pair, who were cuddled up as close as they possibly could be while still sitting in their respective seats. As he stretched his arm out to shake them awake, a much smaller hand slapped his away.

"Pidge, what the hell?" Keith hissed as he coddled his now stinging hand.

She hushed him with an "Shh." "We can't wake them up yet!" She said in a loud whisper.

"Why not?" Keith challenged, mimicking her whispering.

With her signature mischievous smirk, she pulled out her phone from her bag and waved it in front of her friends. "Not until we get some quality blackmail."

Keith grinned back at her and glanced over at the other two men beside them. Shiro shook his head, but a ghost of a smile appeared on his face. Hunk tapped his finger against his chin as he mulled it over before his lips broke into a wide smile.

"Do it." He instructed Pidge and without hesitation, she scrambled over to the other side of the meeting table, so that she had a better view of the blue and pink-clad couple. She held up the phone over her eyes and took several pictures of them. There was no way she'd let them forget about this one.


	2. Cotton Candy

_**Cotton Candy**_

It wasn't something Lance was particularly fond of before now. The fluffy treat was always sweet and delicious, but he hated how the dessert made his fingers sticky and his mouth turn blue. There were better options available that would not result in his fingers being covered in wet, blue and pink sugar. Of course, he could not forgo using his hands, for if he simply took a chunk out of the silky sweet cloud, he would only end up with pieces of fluff on his lips and a disgusting ring of saliva that marked where he had sunk his teeth.

No, cotton candy was not his favorite Earthen food, far from it, but when the princess pulling on his sleeve gave him that wide-eyed, anticipating smile, then gestured to the machine spinning the candy thread, he knew he could never talk her out of it. The pair were out with their mutual group of friends, enjoying the boardwalk after a day spent on the sandy beaches of Cuba. It had been his idea to come to his home-country after General Holt gave them all permission to take a week off. The former scientist believed after spending two years in space protecting the universe, the "kids" as he called them, deserved some time to recuperate.

To Lance, that meant a vacation, and now that he had an official girlfriend, he could not think of a better place to go then his grandparent's beach house. Not only because it meant he would get to see his gorgeous alien girlfriend in a bikini, but also so he could finally show her around his hometown. It was a promise he had made to her before they even began their romantic relationship and he fully intended on fulfilling it.

Up in space, he was an outsider and always felt completely out of his element (unless of course, he was flying his lion), but being back on Earth gave him a little dash of confidence again. His girlfriend was a genius to his eyes. She always had the answers to all of his burning questions regarding space and all the life in it. Sometimes it felt like she knew everything and for some second-rate cadet like himself, that was definitely intimating. So it felt good to be the one with all the answers for once, not to satisfy his ego, but because it made him feel better about himself. Plus, he loved being able to share his culture with her, and not just her, but the rest of his friends too.

So there they were, enjoying the boardwalk after a long day playing on the Cuban shore. As the princess dragged with over to the spinning machine covered in pink and blue fluff, he quickly accepted his fate. Her ocean eyes sparkled with a child-like curiosity as she watched the machine spin the sugary silk like a spider spinning its web. A fond smile spread across his face and he draped his arm around her shoulders, his tanned skin brushing against her soft white mane that covered half of her back.

When the two stepped up to the burly man operating the cotton candy maker, Lance dug into his short's pocket and pulled out a few crumpled up dollar bills. He handed the cash over to the carnie and waited as the man stuffed the cash into his registered, then picked up a paper stick and twirled it in the blue and pink thread.

Lance stole a glance to the woman at his side. Her were the size of saucers and her mouth hung ever so slightly. It amused him to see her so awestruck by something that seemed so meniscal. As she gave his arm an elated squeeze, the corner of his lips lifted up in a genuine smile.

When the worker finished, he handed Lance the fluffy cloud of candy and after paying his thanks, the red Paladin escorted his girlfriend back towards their group of friends. As they walked, Allura stared curiously at the puffy object in his hands.

"So how does one eat this food?" She quipped while raising a brow up at her boyfriend.

Lance chuckled at her fondly, "However you want, but the best way, I think, is like this." In one quick motion, he plucked a piece of cotton candy off the stick and shoved it in his mouth. It only took seconds for the fluff to dissolve on his tongue and he swallowed the remaining sugar.

Allura's eyes widened again in amazement, as if she had just witnessed a magic trick. "Incredible." She breathed out before reaching a tentative hand to the thick, pastel-colored pile of sugar. Her fingers lightly grazed the top of the mound and she was surprised by how tough the soft-looking fluff actually was. In a surge of confidence, she pinched the cotton between her fingers and pulled a out chunk of the sweet. She brought the piece closer to her for examination, then when curiosity finally had the best of her, she too stuffed the piece into her mouth.

It was an odd sensation at first, but as the treat began to melt in her mouth, she moaned at the sweet taste. Lance let out a hearty laugh, to which Allura simply returned with a smile.

"I'm guessing that means you like it?"

The blue Paladin nodded her head as she went in for another bite. Lance titled the stick towards her, his grin spreading wide across his face. "Please, Princess, help yourself." He teased and a faint blush dusted the woman's cheeks. That stop her from taking more though, and Lance watched her happily as she completely devoured the dessert. It may not be his favorite food, but it was nice to see it be enjoyed by his favorite person.


	3. Oceans

_**Oceans**_

It wasn't her first time staring out of her lion's eyes to cast her gaze upon an incoming planet. It was not the first time she had sent her gentle stare out into the vastness of space to take in the beauty of a magnificent planet that slowly spun on its invisible axel. Every planet appears different in some way, and she would have thought by now those differences would have occurred so often that she had simply become accustomed to them. Yet here she was, staring at a planet that seemed perfectly plain as if it was like looking upon her precious Altea, her homeland that would forever remain a causality in the war against the Galra.

This planet before was small in comparison to her own and lacked the familiar pinkish hue that had covered her home. This planet, she noticed, was almost completely wrapped in a spectrum of blues. There were patches of green that she assumed were what her Paladin friends called continents. Then outlining those patches were lines of a blue so faint they almost looked green. As her eyes traveled further into the depths of the water, just watched as the shade grew darker and darker, until the blue matched a midnight sky.

She had seen blue planets before, and she had seen planets entirely made of the life-given liquid that gave the planet's their color, but there was still something else about the shade that brought her a sense of familiarity and warmth. She felt oddly safe as she bore her gaze into the mysterious surface. The brows of her eyes furrowed as she pondered on this strange sensation.

"So whatcha think, 'Llura?"

The sound of her nickname coming from his lips pulled her back into reality. She shook her head and blink away her thoughts.

"It's um…it's wonderful Lance." She replied over the ship's communicator.

"That didn't sound very convincing." Even though the static of the machine they used to communicate, she could still hear the tease in his voice.

"Truly Lance, your planet is a magnificent sight to behold." She said with earnest as she marveled at the moving planet once again. "Those large bodies of water, what do you call them again?"

"Oceans!" His answer came quick, showing off his excitement at being able to share his culture with the alien princess. She knew it was a mixture of childish happiness and the idea that he someone sounded smarter by knowing something she did not. It annoyed her at first, for she thought he was just basking in the fact that she was now the clueless one, but by knowing him for so long now, she knew better. He was trying to impress her and that fact made her feel that same weird warmth in her chest and a tingling sensation in her stomach.

"Right, oceans, I like them the best." Oceans. The word rolled over her tongue as she continued to examine the swirling liquid below.

"They're awesome! And even better up close! Just wait until I teach ya how to surf!" The Red Paladin boasted from his ship.

Allura's mind filled with questions regarding his comment. What was surfing? What made the Earth's oceans better from a close proximity? But most of all, why did the tingling feeling in her stomach intensify from his innocent offer? Before she could seek clarity on the subject, another voice chimed in over the radio.

"Watch out, Princess sounds like Lancelot over there is trying to trick ya into going on a date with him."

"Shut up, Hunk! I am not! It's-it's just us…I mean I will just show her how to…ugh you know what never mind! It doesn't matter." She heard Lance grumble, while Hunk and the others snickered at his suspense.

Suddenly, the tingling inside of her slowed and clumped together, forming a giant rock in the pit of her stomach. She didn't bother to hide the frown on her face or the disappointment in her tone when she glared at the speaker.

"That's enough!" She commanded, her voice cutting through the feed like a knife and bringing the laughter to an abrupt halt. "If Lance wishes to share his knowledge of Earthly costumes with me, then I welcome the opportunity! If anyone has a grievance with that, please kindly keep it to yourself!"

Her outburst caused a surprised silence amongst the Paladins, and even she could feel the tension she had created. Still, the fact remained that she was not pleased with the others treatment towards her dear friend, even if it was all in good fun. The rational part of her brain felt a slight sense of remorse for her overreaction, but as she has been learning over the past few months, the rational part of her was no match to her more passionate feelings that have formed an irritating habit of showing up whenever the goofy Earth-boy was involved.

Growing tired of the awkward silence, she decided it would be up to her to restore the conversation.

"So Lance, tell me more about this surfing wish to teach me."

Her honey-sweet voice melted away any hostility and the excitable lad wasted no time in being able to describe one of his favorite hobbies to the girl of his infatuation. As he rambled on, with the occasional corrections made by Pidge or added descriptions given by Hunk, Allura found herself drifting back to the rolling depths of the ocean waves that steadily grew closer with every passing minute. Then like a shock from a blaster cannon, she realized just what those playful waves reminded her of.

"Hmm…I thought I recognized that color."

And with a comfortable grin on her face and a faraway look on her eyes, she leaned back in her chair and enjoyed the rest of her flight.


	4. Stargazing

_**Stargazing**_

There was a lot to be said about the western state of Arizona. Despite what it may seem like from afar, the state was more than just sand and rocks. There were bustling cities and breathtaking natural wonders that made the state a unique place to call home, but above the canyons and deserts was the real state's treasure. Away from the man-made lights and fumes that polluted the air, one could look up and find themselves lost in a sea of twinkling stars and vast darkness, with the brilliant shine of the moon at its center.

Lance missed a lot of things about Earth, but nothing was quite like the planet's midnight sky. As a cadet at the Garrison, he had to memorize the different constellations that appeared in Arizona's clear skies, and although he had spent the past few years flying around in that mysterious beyond, there was still something comforting about seeing the familiar planets and stars from afar.

"You were right, Lance." A voice as smooth as silk and a clear as the sky before them whispered into his ear. "Earth at night really is a remarkable sight."

The dark-skinned Cuban boy tilted his head for a better look at the beauty curled up at his side. Her curly white hair that reminded him of puffy clouds, covered the arm he had bent so that she could use it as a makeshift pillow. By tilting his head, his mouth was met with her unruly locks, but it only made him smile more. He took a deep breath, enjoying the sweet scent of flowers that came off her naturally, then placed a firm and lingering kiss on the spot. The woman smiled at the gesture, but her ocean gaze stayed on the open sky.

It was funny really, how she could have grown up on a planet so far from here and yet still feel so close to it just by looking up. She knew not many would understand how the vast and endless void known as space could make her feel so at home, but there was just something about looking into that void knowing that it was full of so much life. Life that needed her protection. Life that depended on her. It was that sense of responsibility that made her feel connected to the universe. Which, in an odd way, made her feel connected to the home she had lost.

A long, mournful sigh escaped her lips, then she scooted closer to her partner until she was nearly on top of him and buried her face in his shirt. The man's free hand that had been resting on his stomach moved up to take one of her own hands that she had placed on his chest. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze, then rubbed small circles around her knuckles with his thumb.

She didn't need to say a word. He already knew of the turmoil stirring in her heart. It had been there since General Holt discovered the dead Altean that had been used to power the monstrous machine that had nearly killed them too. He had no idea what it must feel like to be in Allura's shoes. His own family had been kept safe during the invasion of Earth by the Galra and his planet had been liberated thanks to the amazing work of the Garrison and his friends. It pained him that he could not say the same for her. He wished things had been different. That he and their other teammates had been around 10,000 years ago, as paladins of the famous Voltron. Maybe then, he and the others could have saved Allura's family and the planet as well, but that was not what density had in stored for them. Still, he hoped that by bringing her out here, he could make her feel at least a little bit better.

Although, it was her that flew them to this spot. He knew they would both feel more comfortable around the Blue Lion since they each shared a bond with her. Not to mention, the Red Lion wasn't a fan of romantic star-gazing. So since Blue currently belonged to Allura, she was the one to fly them away from the buzzing Garrison, but Lance was the one who suggested it and he was the one who guided her to this spot. Surely, that counted for something?

"Do you know what constellations are, Princess?" He asked her softly as he continued to stroke the back of her hand. Her response was a fit of giggles that had the red paladin confused for a moment before the irony dawned on him.

"Yes, Lance, I am well aware of what constellations are." She answered in a teasing tone, then rolled herself over so that she could see his blushing face. "Do you know what they are?" She asked him with a playful gleam in her eye and a smirk.

The young man chuckled at her and rolled his eyes. "Okay, I'll admit that was a dumb question." His eyes landed back on her and he couldn't fight back the dreamy look that was beginning to occupy his facial features more and more each day. Their relationship was still new and fragile, with still plenty of territory for each of them to explore. They had agreed to take things slow and right now, just relishing in each others company was enough to satisfy them. Lance couldn't speak for Allura, but he somehow knew that she was enjoying this thing between them just as much as he was. Each step further into their relationship brought with it a whole new sense of emotion. Every Time they passed a boundary, he felt a fresh wave of adrenaline come crashing down on him. What they had was fun and exciting, but after they would cross one line, they would linger there, soaking up the pleasure of it for all it was worth, before moving on to the next great milestone. If Lance was being honest though, no matter how far this relationship went, he would never be used to how beautiful she was.

"You're starring again, loverboy." She teased him again and tapped his nose with the tip of her finger for good measure. The poor boy shook his head clear of his thoughts as he came back to reality.

"Sorry Princess, you know I can't help it sometimes." The way he uses her royal title combined with his boyish smile made her stomach knot and her chocolate skin flush. She hoped he would never find out how much that darn look affected her.

"Was your question leading somewhere?" She asked in an attempt to put the conversation back on course.

"Oh, right!" His eyes lit up as he recalled what he had meant to ask her. "Do you know any Earth constellations? Because if not, I can try to show you a few."

Her smile widened as she marveled his excitement and eagerness. It was one of the traits that she admired most about him. His ability to be so easily amazed with a childlike wonder. It felt…refreshing compared to her more serious nature. He was a constant reminder of how to value the smaller things in life. "I would love that."

She turned herself back over so that her body faced the stars. The hand he had tangled in her broke free and lifted up over their faces as he used his finger to trace the imaginary lines that connected the pictures made by the twinkling lights.

"This little guy," He began by pointing to a tiny dot that gave off a reddish glow, "is a red star named Betelgeuse." He then dragged his finger over another set of dots, forming what almost looked like two boxes. "He sits on the shoulder of what we call Orion, a mythical hunter." He then traced his finger over a row of more stars, and Allura could then see the shape of a man holding a bow and arrow.

The Altean titled her head again looked up curiously at the shape. "Is that really how humans hunt?" Her question held a hint of judgment, which made her boyfriend laugh.

"Not anymore, of course." His answer made Allura hum in approval as she waited for him to show her the next one.

His hand traveled further upwards and then traced a V-pattern with his finger. "These stars make Taurus, a bull."

"A bull?" She echoed, the term foreign to her tongue.

"A male version of Kaltenecker." Lance quickly explained.

Allura made an "oh" sound, but then her brows twisted in confusion. "But that does not look like Kaltenecker?" She said with disdain at the poor representation.

Lance squinted his eyes and thought about what she said. "Huh, I guess it doesn't." He finally settled on.

Now Allura was officially perplexed. "So why is it called a bull?"

Lance snorted a little, finding her scrutiny over the silly name quite funny. Memories of Pidge and Hunk trying to help him learn these same stars played back in his mind and he remembered having a similar reaction to them. "I don't know. I didn't name it." He shrugged it off.

"Who did name it?" Allura pressed, her curiosity bubbling within her.

The mood took a sharp turn and Lance suddenly found himself to be very self-conscious. Allura could feel his spirits take a hit and now she wondered how her question could have made him feel so down.

"I-uh…I don't know that either." He said the words quickly and his smile fell to a frown. Now realizing her mistake, Allura reached over and grasped his hand again.

"That's alright, I can ask Pidge later." She said kindly as she rubbed his forearm.

"Yeah, okay." He agreed halfheartedly. She knew Lance had always been his own worst critic, that was a flaw they shared, but ever since their meeting with Bob, the powerful being that judges the universe's heroes, she had noticed he became more upset when he didn't have all the answers. She was not pleased with how Bob had treated Lance during his little game show. Constantly calling her beloved friend "the dumb one." It caused Lance to constantly question his intelligence, and even though she has told him time and time again how wise he has become, little things, like not being able to answer her questions, easily made him feel unworthy. At least that was how he had phrased it to her last time they spoke of it.

Not wanting to see him grovel over something so minor, she thought of a pleasant story that she believed would bring him back to his cheery self.

"You know, Altean constellations were odd as well. My father used to take me to the astronomy tower and he would make up different names for the constellations. Most of them were very funny. My favorite was Coran's Mustache." When she finished recounting her tale, they both shared in a fit of laughter. It was nice to laugh alongside him. It always made her feel light as air.

"That's awesome!" Lance laughed as he wiped a joyful tear from his eye.

"Yes, it was awesome." She repeated the term she had found humans to be quite fond of as she absentmindedly played with her snowy-white hair. Tugging and twirling the fluffy mane.

"Hey, here's an idea," Lance called out eagerly, alerting Allura's full attention, "how about instead of a bull, we'll give it a new name too!" His excitement at the prospect reminded her of her younger-self many, many deca-phoebs ago.

"That's a lovely idea, Lance." Her praise only made him beam even more.

"Oh! Oh! We should call it Shiro's Arm!" So proud of himself for thinking of what he considered to be a very clever name, Allura had to try to stifle more laughter.

"But it looks nothing like Shiro's Arm." She exclaimed, the humor in her voice obvious.

"Sure it does! See, there are his fingers, and his hand, and then lastly his arm!" Lance used his finger again to trace over the gleaming dots in question.

As he tries to describe what he sees to her, she can't hold back her giggles any longer. She whole body shakes with laughter and the sound of it pulls Lance in to join her. Since they began spending more intimate time together, laughing fits like these happened regularly. Neither could remember a time when they laughed as hard or as often as they do now. It made the transition from friends to something more much smoother. It was laughter that always broke any awkwardness or unpleasantness between them.

Coming off of her giggled-fueled high, the alien princess slowly pushes herself up into a sitting position. Concerned by her movement, Lance copies her.

"You alright 'Lura?" He inquires with worry laced in his voice. The way her name sounded from his lips made her skin flare up in goosebumps and sent a shiver down her spine. She twisted her neck to meet his steady gaze and the corner of her lips twitched up in a ghost of a smile.

"Yes, Lance. I'm feeling much better." She spoke honestly, then deepened her smile. "Thank you for this."

The way she spoke made his legs quiver and he could feel the blood rush to his face. "Hey, anytime." He deadpanned as he looked away shyly.

She loves how bashful he has become. The Lance she first met deca-phoebs ago was bold and arrogant. She could see through his facade right away, but perhaps that's what bothered her most. How he felt the need to pretend he was something he wasn't. It was as if he were lying to her and she despised it. Now, however, he freely shows his true colors around her and it this Lance that has stolen her heart.

In an act of boldness on her part, she carefully caressed his cheek with her hand and pulled him closer so that their lips closed the gap between them. The kiss was slow and passionate as their lips moved in sync. Up until now, their kisses have been mostly short and tentative or hot and eager. This kiss was more than a gesture of gratitude or a product of a lustful encounter. Allura backed this kiss with all her love she felt for him and she could feel his own wash over her as well. When she finally pulled away in need of air, she rested her forehead over his and all they could hear were the sounds of their panting.

"I love you, Allura." He whispered to her, his deep blue eyes reflecting his words. It was not the first time he had said them, but it was the first time she felt ready to say them back.

"I love you, Lance."

The words felt like a prayer and like a key they opened up her heart. All the worry, loneliness, and fear that had been stored away suddenly rushed out of her as if she had opened a dam. She didn't stop to see his reaction. Instead, she leaned forward again and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. She buried her face in the crook of his neck and allow her tears to flow freely down her cheeks. Without hesitation, he pulled her closer, closing the embrace.

He held on to her for what felt like half a varga, before his neck felt dry again and her breathing calmed. Her grip on him loosened as she slowly pulled away.

"I'm sorry, Lance, I didn't mean to -"

"Hey, hey, hey," he interrupted her, giving her arms a light squeeze. "You have nothing to apologize for."

She flashed him a small, yet sincere smile. "May we continue are stargazing now?"

He returned her smile with a large, loving grin. "You bet!"

The two warriors laid back down on the cool metal surface of the Blue Lion's head and returned to their fun.


	5. Hope

_**Hope**_

Time. He use to loathe the idea of it. To have to take orders from some contraption designed to announce when time changed was infuriating at times. To have to work within the constraints of day and night, or to be forced to become addicted to the devilish idea of having to maintain a certain schedule. During his days in the Garrison, his superiors practically worshipped time and it's way of controlling what they did and how they felt. He use to pity the poor fools who allowed themselves to be held back by the powers of time, usually out of fear of becoming left behind.

Yes, time was no friend of his, but as his body drifted through the endless void with his hopes of rescue waning, time never felt more like a stranger. And like the addict he had become, he began to feel the early signs of withdraw. Despite floating around in space for what felt like eternity, his bones still ached and his eyes felt heavy. When he and his fellow Paladins first found themselves in this situation, he had attempted to keep track of some sense of time that had passed, but the longer they remained floating in the abyss, the harder it became to make sense of it all.

He knew he had to hold on to his sanity for as long as he could, so whenever the opportunity arose, he would offer a comment here and there, trying to contribute to some light-hearted chatter. Pidge would respond every so often, while Keith would add something in when he felt the need. Hunk kept losing himself to his thoughts, which left the princess attached to his arm to entertain him the most.

The conversation took an interesting turn when she started to inquire about Earth. The Red Paladin was more than enthusiastic as he answered each of her questions in great length, sparring no detail. When he approached certain subjects, she'd pull him in closer to her as he tended to get lose in his excitement and forget that he could not use his hands to elaborate at the moment. It almost made him nervous, how happy she had been to put up with his quirks. Whenever he stopped to take a breath, he would steal a glance at her reaction and see an expression he had only seen her wear once before. Though that was directed towards a man whom he detested with great passion, he never felt so happy to see that same look again. But for her to use it on him? He'd just blame the lack of oxygen.

"Alright gang, our oxygen levels are starting to get low. Let's keep the talking to a minimum so we can make our air last."

Keith's instructions were causally spoken, but the meaning of his words cast a gloomy cloud over the group. Lance swallowed back his nervous as he forced himself to take slower breaths. Then he felt something grab his hand, which pulled his attention away from his leader's warning and to the woman at his side. She had intertwined their hands, but had her eyes closed and head down.

Lance had only known Allura for a few years, but it felt like he had known her his whole life. He knew without her speaking, that she trying to hide her own fear, but for some reason (subconsciously, perhaps) she was using him for comfort. The prospect made him more anxious than the thought of death, but he recalled an old saying his mother use to share.

"When the person you love needs you, that will be the only thing that will matter."

Knowing he couldn't comfort her with his words, he did the next best thing he could.

The princess opened her eyes when she felt him squeeze her hand. Her eyes went from their tangled hands to his deep blue gaze filled with concern. Her heart nearly fluttered out of her chest and her throat tensed up, but she still managed to give him a reassuring smile. He returned the gesture and added a nod of his head. In some unspoken language she knew what he meant.

They would be okay. Though neither of them may have believed it, thinking the other one did made the hope in their hearts last just about longer. They would make it through this, because they had each other.


	6. The Final Battle (Angst)

"Allura!" The Blue Paladin jumped to his feet and ran to his teammate's side. She looked so small, her body laying on the cold floor of the ship they were in. Her eyes were squeezed shut as she clutched her lower abdomen. It was the spot in between her armor, one of the only places she had vulnerable. Which was why it was so easy for Lotor's blade to puncture through.

Lance fell to his knees beside his fallen friend and without hesitation, he gently pulled her onto his lap and he cradled her weak form.

"Stay with me, Princess. It's going to be alright. Everything will be alright." His words came out like a plea as if he were begging for them to be true. His own body shook from the adrenaline coursing through his veins and the hot tears streaming freely down his face. He placed his right hand over her own and added pressure to her wound, knowing he needed to stop the bleeding the best he could, but the attempt was in vain as the thick, crimson liquid continued to pour down her side. The sticky substance stained his uniform as his grip on her body strengthened and he deepened his embrace.

"Please, Allura, stay with me." He cried as he leaned closer to her and buried his face in her snowy white hair. He slowly rocked her in his arms and his chest shook from the force of his sobs.

"Lance." He heard her weakly call to him, saying his name in her unique way that always made him feel as if he were walking on clouds. He pulled away just enough so he could meet her turquoise gaze, but his heart ripped as he noticed her eyes had lost their usual sparkle.

She looked so weak in his arms. She felt so light and fragile. He could not believe that the courageous princess he knew and cared for more than anything he had ever cared for before, was barely breathing in his hold.

"I'm here Princess." He cooed to her, hoping his words would bring her some kind of comfort and reassurance. His eyes never left her face as she strained to lift her arm. Before he could stop her, he felt the soft touch of her palm brush against his messy bangs, then slowly slide down the side of his face until she caressed his cheek.

He instinctively leaned into her touch and somehow, it began to calm the raging storm inside of him. His closed the second her fingers grazed his skin, but now they fluttered back open to look back at the woman he held against him. She a small smile on her face, even as she struggled with every breath and her dark skin lost its chocolate color.

"You've…always…been there…haven't you." She said meekly and in between each gasp of air.

Lance knitted his eyebrows in confusion, but his voice was only filled with worry. "Don't talk Allura. Please, save your strength. Help will come."

She blinked at him, her smile never leaving her face. "Thank you…Lance. For…always being there…for me."

She allowed herself to fall into the depths of his blue eyes one last time before her entire world went dark.

"Allura!" The grief-stricken boy screamed as he gave her body a violent shake. He laid her back on the floor and without a thought, began pressing down on her chest. He counted with each pump, only stopping to pinch her nose and to press his lips against her's in order to blow life-giving oxygen into her lungs. Time felt as if it had stopped completely as he performed the lifesaving technique over and over again until his own body became too exhausted to continue.

He crunched over her still form and hung onto her as if he were about to drown. The only sound that could be heard was his sobs as they echoed off the metal walls. He remembered the feeling of when she had broken his heart. It was like she had shattered it and all that was left were hundreds of the glass-like pieces stabbing his chest. This was nothing compared to that. It was as if she had taken his soul. He had never felt so alone or so empty. When he watched in horror as she jumped in front of him and Lotor's sword stabbed through her in a final blow that was meant for him, he saw his life, _their_ lives, flash before his eyes. Now as he lay over the lifeless body of the only girl he had ever loved, he knew that a part of him had died as well.

He pushed himself up just enough to hover above her face. Her eyes were closed and her lips swollen from the force he had put into his attempts to make her breath. Her skin was more of a caramel color now, as the blood continued to pull away. Her Altean markings right below her eyes were no longer pink, but rather a light grey. He closed his eyes tightly, not wanting to remember her this way. Instead, he pictured her with her skin as dark oak, her markings as pink as the early morning sky, and her eyes as dazzling as the ocean. That was the Allura he knew - _his_ Allura.

Slowly, he leaned closer to her and gingerly his lips covered hers. He kept them there for only a couple of heartbeats, before pulling away and gently resting his forehead on her own.

"Te Amo, Princesa." He whispered breathlessly. "I love you, Princess."

As if his admission had broken a curse, the woman's body began to glow with a magical pink hue. As soon as he noticed the light surround his body, he jerked himself back and watched as he body began to glow even brighter. Reluctantly, Lance had to cover his eyes, shielding them from the intensity of the light. It felt like hours had passed before the light slowly began to dim. He uncovered his eyes but did not move until the pink glow had completely left her body. Once it had, he crawled back over to her still unmoving form. However, he noticed her markings were shining a white that matched her hair. Tentatively, he reached out a hand and as soon as his fingertips touched her cheeks, her eyes flung open and he heard her gasp for air. He nearly fell back from the surprise.

She tried to sit up but gasped as a sharp pain shot upside. Lance quickly caught her before she could fall back down and hit her head on the solid floor. He glanced down and noticed her wound was gone and the bleeding had stopped, but the pain must still have been there. Still, he could not hold back his relief as he looked back into her eyes, rapidly filling back with color. He grinned when he saw the familiar sparkle return in them.

"Lance?" She questioned as she looked back at him, blinking her eyes as if she were only blinking back sleep. "What happened?" Her voice was hoarse and yet it was like music to his ears.

"I-I don't know. You were…you were…" He couldn't bring himself to say it out loud, afraid it would somehow jinx them. "This pink light suddenly appeared and you looked it you did when you brought Shiro back from the dead." He voice caught at the end.

Allura watched him shake his head as if to clear it of the horrible events that had transpired just moments ago. His cheeks and eyes were red from his tears. At this point, she thought he looked worse off than her. He seemed so broken and scared, it made her heartache. Her eyes traveled from his eyes to his lips and she felt a strong pull towards them. For the first time, she did not fight it. She wrapped her hands on either side of his head and pulled him down to meet her awaiting lips. She kissed him with as much passion as she could bear and she pushed all her emotions she had bottled up for so long into the kiss.

Lance's lips were still for a moment, caught off guard by her forcefulness, but he quickly recovered. She could feel him melt into the kiss and felt his hand slip under her hair as he tilted his face to the side. This action deepened the kiss and she could not stop the moan that rose up in her throat. She wanted to keep the kiss going, never wanting to leave the comfort of his closeness, but she was still weak from having just died. She slowly backed away, but when her eyes met his, their gazes locked on each other.

"I love you, Lance." She said breathlessly as her confession hung on the air in between them. She watched as his lips pulled up in a large grin and felt him give the side of her face a gentle squeeze.

"I love you, Allura." His words filled her with a new life and she realized it had been so long since she had felt so undoubtedly, so completely loved. He wrapped his arms around her back into a tight, but strong embrace. She buried her face into the crook of his neck and allowed his familiar scent and the sounds of his whispered sweet nothings to loll her to sleep.

Based on the following post on Tumblr: post/178763723205/hows-this-for-a-scenario-in-s8-since-we-know


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